Embroidering machine



April 28, 1925- W. MYYERS smaxoxpanme pmcnma rah 24 192's 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed I8.

- INVENT OR Walfer Wm A'ITQRNEY 'April-28, 1925"- 1536,04!

I w. MYERS BIIBROIDIIING IAGHINB Filed March as. 192: 2 Sheets-Shut a YINVENTOR v 'Walfer Mye V I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

WALTER MYERS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, v.LQ'IE'HJV JERSEY, A CORPORATION- OFNEW JERSEY.

EMBROIDERING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVALTnn MYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEmbroidering Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in embroidering machines and moreparticularly in the universal feed en'ibroidering machines of thesocalled Bonnaz type wherein acovering thread or cord is wound aroundthe sewing thread or around the sewing thread and a filler cord orbraid.

One of the objects of this invention .is to provide improved means forvarying the spacing of the convolutions of the covering thread or cordwound about the sewing thread or filler cord or both.

The invention has for another object to provide improved means in auniversal feed embroidering machine for rendering the covering thread orcord winding device operative or inoperative, atthe will of theoperator, without requiring a re-timing of the covering-thread guidewith respect to the stitch-forming mechanism.

Other objects of the'invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims.

To attain the objects of the present invention, the presentimprovementhas been embodied in a universal feed enmroidering machine in which acovering thread spool and guide are supported upon the machine frame forbodily rotation coaxially of the needlebar. Loosely mounted upon themain-shaft of the machine and selectively keyed there to at the will ofthe operator is a series of different size driving gears in constantmesh with an intermediate step-gear comprising a series of gears securedagainst relative rotation housed within the overhanging bracket-arm andconstantly in driving engagement witha driven'gear, loosely journaledupon the feed-direotion determining shaft and forming 1 part of theusual differential gearing for rotating the covering-thread guide. Thedriving gear requisite to impart the desired speed of rotation to thecovering-thread guide may be selectively secured to the main-shaft ofthe machine by means of a key slidingly mounted in a slot of said. shaftand suitably connected with a manually manipulated lever. This lever maybe secured to position the sliding key in gear-engaging and disengagingpositions and as the several gears remain constantly in mesh thecovering-thread guide may be readilythrown into and out of operation atwill and the spacing of the convolutions of the covering-thread may bereadily varied without, destroying the timing or the position of thecovering-thread guide with respect to the stitch-forming mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front side elevation, partlyin section, of

.a universal feed embroidering machine in which a preferred form of thepresent improvement has been embodied. Fig. 2 is a detail of a portionof the bracket-arm of the machine illustrating the key-sliding lever.Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section of a portion of the machinebracket-arm. Fig. at is an enlarged vertical section of the main andfeed-direction-determining shafts. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustratingthe relation ship of the covering-thread guide controlling driving anddriven gears.

Referring to the drawings, the embroidering machine is constructed witha bed-platc 1, from which rises the vertical standard 2 of theoverhanging bracket-arm 3 terminating in the head a. to which issuitably secured the needle-bar and feed-supporting frame Journaled insuitable. bearings provided in the overhanging arm is the main ordriving shaft 6. The frame 5 is formed with parallel, horizontallyextending bearing brackets 7 and 8,.having vertically alined aperturesin which the cylinder '9 is journaled for rotary movements.

Mountedin the cylinder-9 is the needlebar 10, vertically reciprocatedfrom the main-shaft 6 and constrained to rotate with the cylinder 9inthe usual manner. At its lower end the needle-bar carries the hookneedle11 adapted to coact in a well known manner with a chain-stitch looper(not shown), to enchain loops of threadabove the throat-plate 12, thethread being supplied from a spool carried by the spool-pin 13 locatedbelow the bed-plate 1. Vhile a chain-stitch mechanism is embodied in themachine being described, it will be evident that the covering-threaddevice controlling mechanism is equally adapted for embodiment in alock-stitch machine, such for instance as is disclosed in my U. S.Patent No. 1,325,033, dated Dec. 16, 1919.

The feeding mechanism comprises a feeding foot 14: which is actuated tofeed the work in a direction corresponding, as usual, to the directionof rotation of the cylinder 9. To effect rotation of the cylinder 9under manual control there may be employed the usual connections such asdisclosed in my Patent No. 1,325,038. These connections comprise in parta bevel gear 15, fixed upon the cylinder 9 and meshing with a similargear 16 upon a studshaft 17 fixed upon the frame 5. Mounted upon thestud-shaft 17 to rotate witli the bevel-gear 16 is a pinion 18 meshingwith a spur-gear 19 fixed upon the forward end of the feed-directiondetermining shaft 20 journaled in the overhanging bracket-arm of themachine. The shaft 20, as is usual in machines of this class, has gearand shaft connections with a handcrank 21 disposed below the bed-plate1, whereupon by manipulation of said handcrank the shaft 20 may berotated in opposite directions to change the direction of work-feedingmovement of the feeding-foot 1 f.

During the sewing operation the hookneedle 11 is reciprocated throughthe tubu lar nipple 22, which as usual rotates with the cylinder 9 butis vertically reciprocated thereupon and may be designed to functioneither as a needle-stripper or as a combined braid-guide andneedle-stripper as is well known.

Loosely journaled upon the machine frame between the bracket 8 and acollar 23 fixed upon the frame is a spool-carrier sleeve 24 upon whichis secured the covering-thread spool-carrier 25 and the covering-threadguide 26 having the usual thread guiding aperture adjacent the needle.The guide 26 is bodily rotated about an axis constituting the path ofreciprocation of the needle to wind the covering-thread about the sewingthread or about the sewing thread and a filler braid or cord dependentupon the character of the work desired. Vhile in the present instancethe covering-thread spoolcarrier 25 is also bodily rotated, this carriermay be otherwise supported as for instance by mounting thecovering-thread spool so that its unwinding aXis is concentric with theneedle-bar, as is well known.

In order to rotate the guide 26 and the covering-thread spool-carrier25, the sleeve 24 fixedly carries a spur-gear 27 in mesh with anintermediate pinion 28 supported by a studscrew 29 threaded into theframe The pinion 28 is in constant engagement with a spurgear 30 securedupon the lower end of a vertical shaft 31 suitably journaledin themachine frame. The gears 27, 28

and 30 are preferably enclosed by a housing 32 detachably secured uponthe machine frame. At its upper end, the vertical shaft 31 carries abevel gear 33 meshing with a similar gear 84E upon the forward end of asleeve 35, journaled in a web 36 in the overhanging bracket-arm of themachine and sleeved upon the feeddirection-determining shaft 20. Uponthe other side of the web 36, there is secured upon the sleeve abevel-gear 37 forming part of a differential gear mechanism which inprinciple is well known in this class of machines. Meshing with thebevel-gear 37 is an intermediate pinion 3S journaled upon the reducedupper end of a gear-bracket 39 and held in position thereupon by meansof a cap-screw 40. The gear-bracket 39 is apertured for reception of theshaft 20 upon which it is secured against relative rotation by means ofthe set-screw 41. The pinion 38 is also in constant mesh with abevel-gear 12 upon one end of a sleeve -13, loosely journaled upon theshaft 20 and held against endwise movement thereupon by means of acollar 44. A spur-gear 41-5 is disposed upon the sleeve 43 to rotatetherewith and is rotated from the main-shaft 6 by mechanism under manualcontrol for varying the speed of rotation of the gear L5 and thereforethe spacing of the convolutions of the covering thread.

Loosely journaled upon the main-shaft 6 and held against endwisemovement thereupon by means of collars, as 46, is a series of drivinggears 17, as, 49 and 50 of successively decreasing diameters andseparated by washers, as 51. Each of these gears is provided with akey-slot 52 adapted to be successively engaged by the beveled nose 53 onthe forward end of a key 5 L slidingly disposed in a way 55 provided inthe mainshaft 6. At its opposite end the key 5-1- is formed with a notch56 loosely entered by the unthreaded reduced end of a screw 57 threadedinto a grooved collar 58 also slidingly disposed upon the shaft 6. Thecollar 58 is engaged by a stud 59 upon the upper end of a crankarm 60having a fulcrumpin 61 journaled upon a detachable frontplate 62 securedupon the overhanging bracket-arm of the machine by means of a screw 63.Rigidly secured upon the fulcrum-pin 61, so as to in effect comprise abellcrank-leverin connection with the crankarm 60, is a manuallymanipulated arm 64: having at its outer end an apertured boss 65 inwhich is slidingly mounted a lockingpin 66. Threaded upon the outer endof the pin 66 is a nut 67 while its inner end may be yieldingly seatedunder the actionof a spring 68, in any one of a plurality of apertures69 formed in the front-plate 62. It will be apparent that by shiftingthe locking-pin 66 into the proper aperture 69, the key will beslidingly displaced in the way 55, whereupon the beveled nose 53 ofthekey out of engagement with the gear last secured tothe shaft to serveas a safeguardagainst simultaneously securing. two gems to the shaft 6and also to afford a rest for the key in gear disengaging position.Depressions,

as 71,.are provided in the front-plate 62 to alternate with theapertures 69 and when the lockingpin 6G is seated in any one of thedepressions 71, the key 54 is disengaged from the driving gears, thenose contacting one of the washers 51.

Preferably secured upon the rear side of theoverhanging bracket-arm 3 isa gearhousing '72 in which is suitably journaled a co'rmter-shaft 73.Fixed upon the counter: shaft 73 is an intermediate step-gearconrprising a series of four-gears T 4, 75, 76 and 77 of successivelyincreasing diameters and secured together by means of screw-bolts, asT8. The intermediate gears 74, 75, 76 and 77 are in constant mesh withthe driving gears 47, 48, 49 and 50, respectively, while the gear 74which has arelatively wide face is also in mesh with the spur-gear uponthe shaft 20. Inasmuch as the driving gears can be keyed to themain-shaft only when the beveled nose 53 of the key is in alinement withthe key-slots 52 of said gears and furthermore as the driving andintermediate gears, together with the spur-gears 45 are in constantmesh, the relative timing thereof with respect to the stitch-formingmech anism can not be destroyed by rendering the driving gearsineffective by manual manipulation of the arm 64.

In the operation of the stitching mechanism, when any one of the drivinggears is keyed to the main-shaft 6, the coveringthread guide 26 i ispositively rotated, through the gear connections described, about theneedle to wind the covering-thread about the needle-thread or theneedle-thread and a filler cord or braid, the number of convolutions ofthe covering-thread with respect to the number of stitches beingdependent upon the driving gear selected, as

will be evident. The gears in the present machine are preferably of sucha ratio that, when the gear 47 is keyed to the main-shaft, the coveringthread-guide 26 makes one complete revolution during the formation ofeach stitch. While the driving-gears 48, 49 and each successivelyrequire one additional stitch to complete one revolution of thecovering-thread-guide. The present construction therefore comprisesconveniently positioned means, operable at the will of the operator, forboth changing the spacing of the. convolutions of the covering threadand for rendering thecovering-thread guide inoperative without requiringretiming of the guide.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis:

1. In an embroidering machine, in combination, a main-shaft,stitch-forming mech anism including a reciprocatory needle, universalfeeding mechanism, mechanism for controlling the directionof feed, acoveringthread guide disposed to rotate about said needle, actuatingmechanism operatively connected with said main-shaft for rotating saidguide, and means independent of the direction of feed for at willvarying the relative speed of rotation of said main-shaft and said guideduring the .operation of the machine. i

2. In an enibroidering machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismincluding areciprocatory needle, means for reciprocating said needle,universal feeding mechanism, mechanisn'i for controlling the directionof feed, a covering-thread guide disposed to rotate about said needle,actuating mechanism'for rotating said guide, and means independent ofthe direction of feed for at will varying the relative timing betweensaid reciprocating needle and the rotating thread-guide during theoperation of the machine.

3. In an embroidering machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle, means for reciprocating said needle,universal feeding mechanism, mechanism for controlling the direction offeed, a covering-thread guide disposed to rotate about said needle, andactuating mechanism for rotating said guide including a series ofdriving gears, a series of driven gears constantly in mesh with saiddriving gears, and shiftable means for driving the driven gears from anyone of said driving gears.

4. In an embroidering machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle, means for recipio eating said needle,universal feeding mechanism, mechanism for controlling the direction offeed, a covering-thread guide disposed to rotate about said needle, andactuating mechanism for rotating said guide including a series ofdriving gears, a series of driven gears constantly in mesh with saiddriving gears, and shiftable means for at will rendering an intermeshingdriving and driven gear of said series effective or ineffective torotate said covering-thread guide.

5. In an embroidering machine, in combination, stitclrforming mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle, a covering-thread guide disposed torotate about said needle, a driving shaft, a series of driving gearsupon said driving shaft, a counter-shaft, a series of intermediate gearscarried by said counter-shaft in constant mesh with said driving gears,means for selectively driving an intermeshing driving and intermediategear of said series, and operative connections between the drivenintermediate gear and said guide to rotate the latter.

6. In an embroidering machine, in combi nation, stitclr't'ormingmechanism including a reciprocatory needle, a covering-thread guidedisposed to rotate about said needle, a driving shaft, a series ofdriving gears upon said driving shaft, a counter-shaft, a stepgearcarried by said counter-shaft comprising a series of intermediate gearssecured to rotate together and disposed in constant mesh with saiddriving gears, means for selectively securing a driving gear to saiddriving shaft, and operative connections between the step-gear and saidguide to rotate the latter.

7. In an embroidering machine, in combination, stitch-formin mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle, a covering-thread guide disposed torotate about said needle, a driving shaft, a series of driving gearsupon said driving shaft, a counter-shape, a series of intermediate gearscarried by said counter-shaft in constant mesh with said driving gears,means for selectively driving an intermediate gear from one of saiddriving gears, operative connections between the driven intermediategear and said guide to rotate the latter, and means for at willrendering the driving gears ineffective to rotate the guide.

8. In an embroidering machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocatory needle, a covering-thread guide disposed torotate about said needle, a driving shaft, a series of driving gearsupon said shaft, a driven shaft, a series of driven gears upon saiddriven shaft in constant mesh with said driving gears, operativeconnections between said driven gears and said guide for rotating thelatter, and means for selectively securing any gear of one of saidseries to its shaft including a sliding key, a lever and means formaintaining said lever with the sliding key in gear-engaging position.

9. In an embroidering machine, the combination with stitcl1formingmechanism including a reciprocatory needle, means for reciprocating saidneedle, and a coveringthread guide disposed to rotate about said needle,of means for at will rotating said guide at different speeds withrespect to the reciprocations of said needle, said means including adevice for selectively determining the speed of rotation of said guidewhile maintaining a predetermined position thereof with respect to saidneedle at a given point in the stitch-forming cycle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

lVALTER MYERS.

